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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fork — in a road
  4. file — a document
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. swing — music
  10. file — a tool
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. field — a subject
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. field — farmland
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. swing — in golf
  17. foot — a measure
  18. field — for sport
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. swing — to play on
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com